In Part I of her interview with Catherine Strode, Senator Boyd discussed asked the proposed transfer of services for the elderly and services for people with developmental disabilities to the Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing.

Listen to Part I of the interview

Senator Boyd, What do you think about the potential transfer and will you be sponsoring a bill to authorize the transfer?

“I will confirm. I will carry a Bill.  The intent of the Bill, as I see it, is to initially consolidate the administrative function in one department so that HCPF has responsibility for everything Medicaid. And as I see it, that was just Phase One of the whole process. There would be no change immediately in the way services are delivered.  I think there is fear about that. But Phase Two would be a very extensive stakeholder process that would determine the best options for service delivery in the future which might take a year or even longer. But there is that second phase planned.  So other than who the employees relate to, which department cuts their check, there should not be any immediate change in service delivery and I think that’s one thing people are really worried about. There are those who are saying ‘you are putting the cart before the horse.’  I think the sooner that we can at least consolidate those administrative functions, the better.  I know HCPF is doing a lot of consumer and stakeholder work and they’re doing more in the near term.”

Your bill, then, would strictly address Phase One, that is, the administrative transfer of duties?

“I understand it likely will do Phase One and have language directing Phase Two.”

What do you think could be the benefits of the HCPF transfer administratively?

“I think for openers we as a state are required to have one Medicaid agency, one agency that handles all of the Medicaid.  Because at the time that Medicaid came into existence, HCPF didn’t exist.  It was the Department of Health and Human Services and everything was in one department.  But when HCPF was formed, they took the financial function and Medicaid.   But it was worked out so the service delivery happened through human services. So this is trying to get back to having a consolidation of what seems to be a better way of organizing so Medicaid is all in one place. And as we look at long term care, which is the big  and growing issue and will be the huge issue in  the not too distant future with the explosion of aging baby boomers,  we’ve got to be looking very carefully at how we deliver long term care services.   I think it would create some really important efficiencies.”

Which health care bills being presented in this legislative session will have the greatest impact?

“Of those that are in the hopper right now, I would say this bill for the consolidation of those programs and HCPF.”

How do you think this bill will affect the future of Medicaid in the state of Colorado?

“Hopefully it would make Medicaid care more efficiently managed.”